Description

Over the last 15 years, significant strides have been made in reducing mother-to-child transmission of HIV as well as in increasing the availability of HIV diagnostics and treatment for mothers and children, but several gaps still remain. The symposium aims to address these gaps with leading experts discussing four key areas needing improvements: (1) further reduction of mother-to-child transmission through improved early diagnosis and treatment during pregnancy, (2) ongoing development of diagnostics for young infants, (3) increasing early access to care for HIV-positive infants and (4) improving adolescents’ engagement with and adherence to HIV treatment. The symposium will highlight prominent advances in maternal and child health, including the accomplishments of recent EU and EDCTP-funded projects and the future plans in this area through the Horizon 2020 and EDCTP2 research funding programmes. Targeted audience includes researchers from public and private sector, clinicians, social scientists and public health experts.

Programme

Co-chairs:
Gita Ramjee, HIV Prevention Research Unit, MRC-South Africa, SAC EDCTP
Ilesh Jani, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Maputo, Mozambique 

18:30 Introduction by the co-chairs
Gita Ramjee, Medical Research Council of South Africa
Ilesh Jani, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Maputo

18:35 EC and EDCTP Strategies and Opportunities for Research on Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health: a Retrospective Overview and Future Plans
Alessandra Martini, European Commission
Ole Olesen, European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership

18:45 Management of Pregnancy and Prevention of Vertical Transmission in Eastern Europe: What have we Learned from Cohort Studies
Claire Thorne, University College London

19:05 Researching Adolescents’ ART Adherence and Sexual Health Outside Clinical Contexts
Rebecca Hodes, University of Cape Town

19:25 Linking HIV Prevention with Early Care for HIV Infected Infants: Is There a Need for Innovative Strategies?
Philippe Van de Perre, University Montpellier

19:45 Early Infant Diagnostics: Strategies and Options
Philippe Jacon, Cepheid

20:05 Panel Discussion
Gita Ramjee, Medical Reaserch Council of South Africa
Ilesh Jani, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Maputo
Alessandra Martini, European Commission
Ole Olesen, European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
Claire Thorne, University College London
Philippe Jacon, Cepheid
Philippe Van de Perre, University of Montpellier
Rebecca Hodes, University of Cape Town